"I think [Michael] had grown past the idea of being in the documentary, that was my take on it," he said. "That he had said goodbye to that aspect of his life, that that's not what was important to him.

"I just thought, yeah he'd go back and visit [his friends], but he wouldn't want the camera crew to be documenting it."

The final episode of The Office will air on May 16 in the US. In the UK, the series airs on Comedy Central.